Derby Mercury October 1832
HORSE STOLEN
On tuesday night the 9th or early on Wednesday morning,the
10th of October instant,from a Close at Shottle,in the county of Derby,
A DARK BAY HACKNEY HORSE,Aged nearly 16 hands high, has three white feet
and the other grey.Whoever will give such information as to shall lead
to the conviction of the offender or offenders,shall recieve TEN GUINEAS
REWARD,On application to Mr ROBERT SPENDLOVE,junior,of Shottle aforesaid.N.B>The
above Horse was rode through the Mileash Toll Bar,near Derby,at about two
o,clock this morning,by a tall Man (unknown)without saddle.
October 10,1832.
Derby Mercury Wednesday January 9th 1833
Derbyshire Quarter Sessions
Joseph Gregory,aged 22,indicted for stealing at Shottle one
Gelding,the property of Robert Spendlove.-----Robert Spendlove son of the
prosecutor,deposed to seeing his father's bay gelding,on the (th October,in
the field.It was on the following morning missing,and from information
which he recieved,he followed the horse to Oxington,in Northamptonshire,where
he found it in possession of the constable of that place.---George Odel,a
horse dealer of Northampton,proved he purchased the gelding in question
of the prisoner at Leicester fair,on the 10th of October,the day after
the robbery,for £20.,but did not at the time pay for him ,in consequence
of his jaded apperance,the witness having a doubt as to the proper manner
by which the prisoner came by him.---James Hewett,servant to the last witness,positively
swore to the prisoner as being the person from whom his master had purchased
the stolen horse.---Mr Wootten,of Derby,horse dealer,deposed to Mr Odel
applying to him at Leicester fair.on the 10th October,to assertain if the
prisoner's account of himself,as being the servant of Mr Bowmer,of Osmaston,was
correct.Witness thought the prisoner was the same person Mr Osel equired
about but would not positively swear to him.--William Street,of Belper,proved
the prisoner's talking to him two days before Leister fair,of his intention
to be present there.
The prisoner in his defence denied all knowledge of the
horse,and calling the following witnesses to prove an alibi :---Jesse Gregory,father
of the prisoner,deposed,that his son went to his work as usual,at Mr Chappel's
of Belper-lane early in the morning of the 9th October,and returned in
the evening of the 10th to his house.He knew the date,by Crich fair being
holden the 11th October.--Myrah Gregory,a child,and niece of the prisoner's
swore to the same facts.She underwent a long cross-examination by Mr Balguy,but
nothing was elicited to materially shake her testimony.-Christina Chappel,of
Belper-lane,swore,that the prisoner was at breakfast at her father's house,at
half-past eight o'clock in the morning of the 10th October the day on which
the fair at Leicester was held.The witness is sister-in-law to the prisoner.-Hannah
Whiteman,of Belper-lane,deposed to the fact of the prisoner being on the
morning of the 10th October,at benjamin Chappel's at breakfast.-Aaron Booth,of
Pentrich,also deposed to the prisoner dining at his house,on the 10th October
at 12 o'clock at noon.Witness is brother-in-law to the prisoner.-Lydia
Chappel,of Belper-Lane,corroberated C.Chappel's evidence.-Samuel Walker,witness
for the prosecution,said ,that the last witness on the 10th October,when
he was at Benjamin Chappel's told him,that the prisoner had not been there
on that or the preceeding day.The evidence for the prosecution,and the
defence,was of an extremely opposite nature.Much able cross-examination
was gone through,to shake if possible the testimony in favour of the alibi,which
the prisoner set up,but without any conciderable success.
The Jury acquitted the prisoner.